Blogs

Blogs

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A patient had the worst news delivered to her in quite possibly the worst possible way. We cannot let our patients feel like they are just a number in our calculated RVUs. They deserve our time, consideration, and empathy—even when we are covering.

"Scanxiety" doesn't appear in any legitimate dictionaries (yet), but it is a very real experience for patients with cancer. You can help your patients manage their scanxiety by emphasizing that you will be there to guide them based on the results of their scans.

My patient chose not to share her cancer diagnosis. She shouldered so much, and did it only with the support of her husband—no friends, no neighbors, not even her children. It was the way she wanted to get through her treatment, but it was a heavy weight to carry.

Medicine, in the words of my friend and mentor Larry Norton, should be a calling, not a glorified profession. Medicine isn’t done in shifts. It’s a commitment made between you and your patients, to oversee their care personally, even when you aren’t around.

Subterfuge never solves sexual dysfunction after cancer. Patients and their partners need to talk to each other, and from that talk comes understanding and sharing and empathy and, eventually, solutions and resolution.

Last week I introduced the theme I’ve selected for my term as ASCO President, Together, we’ll be making a difference for our patients and in our profession with the help of some game-changing initiatives from ASCO, of which I will describe just a few.

We recently converted our electronic record system to EPIC, and the new perspective provides useful illumination. Truly patient-focused care requires that our practice and our records—verbal, written, or electronic—place the patient center stage.

Today ASCO issued its first clinical practice guideline on invasive cervical cancer, with recommendations organized according to health system resource availability levels. I was honored to serve as Co-Chair of the Expert Panel, along with Dr. Linus Chuang.

I have seen many patients grapple with the consequences of cancer and its treatment on their own sexual view of themselves (their sexual self-schema), and how it can impact the relationship between partners.